


Midnight City

by Flamoria



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Bottom Eren Yeager, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, M/M, Omega Eren Yeager, Original Universe, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Shapeshifting, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Top Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:42:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28060353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flamoria/pseuds/Flamoria
Summary: This is a tale of devastation, anguish, joyfulness, and true love. Of two unlikely people from opposite worlds, who, regardless of their dissimilarities, come together and create something beautiful. It is the story of Eren Jaeger, an 18-year-old omega, who despite his initial reservations, discovers that perhaps we aren’t so different after all.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 20
Kudos: 74





	Midnight City

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise! Happy holidays everyone! Please stay safe while celebrating this year. Wishing you all the best as this year finally comes to a close and hoping that next year will be a time of healing. Thank you for all the support you have given me in 2020 and I hope to be able to bring you even more stories in 2021.

**_“I will meet you on the nape of your neck one day, on the surface of intention, word becoming act. We will breathe into each other the high mountain tales, where the snow comes from, where the waters begin.”_ **

**_Luke Davies-In the Yellow Time of Pollen_**

* * *

In the land of Kalonia there is a city called Verondyse where the streets are of old crimson cobblestone. It is told that the color comes from the blood of the ancestors who once fought for their freedom. So ancient that there are thousands of cracks creating space for the earth to push new life through. The buildings that line the streets are of the brightest color, matching the spirit of the Wytaie that are native to the land. They are a curious bunch, known for their cunning, intellect, and tenacious spirit. And nestled right at the center of the bustling city lies a small stone sky blue building with a wooden sign above the door that reads _Lyron_ in cursive _._ The inside is always lit with a warm fire, walls lined with bookshelves and obscure art, and the air is constantly full of the aroma of fresh coffee and tea. 

It is the favorite spot of everyone who can make it to the capital city, and not just for the excellent food and beverages that are provided. _Lyron_ is owned by the Jaeger family consisting of Carla and Grisha as well as their son Eren. And Eren...well...Eren Jaeger is special. You see, Wytaie are descended from the great Kitsune spirits that roamed the land millions of years ago. It is rare for any Wytaie to have the ability to shift into their pure form. Normally, they simply have enhanced senses and speed and are born as either an alpha, beta, or omega. However, Eren’s parents were shocked when, at three years old, their son shifted into his pure form. A small fox at the time, white in color, with three tails and a splash of red on each tip.

He was the first Wytaie to have been able to shift into his pure form in over a thousand years. To keep him safe, his parents hid this information from the world, loath to bring danger to their one and only son. Despite their best efforts, it is impossible for one to account for every moment of life, to be prepared to face everything that may come forth head-on. Sometimes, it is up to us to forge our paths in life, to overcome what is hurdling towards us with open arms, and to laugh in the face of death. Death, danger, heartache, these are all things that destroy. But, for new life to be born, much like the greenery peeking through the cracked cobblestone streets, ruination must first occur. 

This is a tale of devastation, anguish, joyfulness, and true love. Of two unlikely people from opposite worlds, who, regardless of their dissimilarities, come together and create something beautiful. It is the story of Eren Jaeger, an 18-year-old omega, who despite his initial reservations, discovers that perhaps we aren’t so different after all. 

Ͻ

“Triple shot oat milk vanilla latte!” Eren called out, his deep voice booming through the small bustling café. 

Marco’s beaming face popped up immediately, his radiant smile reminding Eren of the sun as he slipped a koozie around his warm cup of coffee and rushed off with a quick “thanks Eren!” 

Eren’s heart immediately filled with pleasure upon seeing Marco's reaction, reminding him why it was that he loved this job so much. Despite not being a morning person, getting up at five-thirty every day to ensure the shop was open and ready for business by six was worth it when he got to see how happy a simple cup of coffee could make someone. His parents had taught him at a young age how important the simple pleasures of life were. 

He was lucky to have been born in a well-off family and knew that for some, being able to afford a cup of coffee was the highlight of their week. There were the regulars, like Marco for instance, who’s orders he knew by heart. The ones that rushed in and out, busy studying for college while busting their asses off to pay for schooling. They had the tired doctors who seemed to awaken as soon as the scent of coffee hit their nostrils, a small smile of thanks all that Eren needed to know how much his family’s business was appreciated. 

Lastly, there were the older ones who had retired long ago. Stopping by a few times a week to meet up with friends for their daily chats over a warm cup of tea and croissant. Those tended to be his favorite as they never failed to tip or profusely thank Eren and his coworkers for all of their hard work. 

“Eren heads up, Reiner is about five feet from the door,” Armin called out from behind the bar as he steamed the milk for Shadis’s quad shot breve. 

“Fuck,” Eren muttered as he took his place behind the register, inhaling deeply while grounding himself. 

He had forgotten to mention his least favorite customers, the _Reiner’s_. It was always the big burly alpha’s, the ones who thought they were entitled to every unmated omega, that annoyed him the most. The only saving grace was that as long as Eren was nice to Reiner, the man always tipped him twenty kalons. 

“Hell yeah! Dude this is why I love working shifts with you, Jaeger. Whenever the thirsty alphas come in, we always make bank in tips!” Jean shouted from the back where he was currently baking the infamous pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. 

“Fuck off Kirstein,” Eren yelled back in retaliation as he rolled his eyes. 

While Jean may have made a valid point, him shoving Eren’s misery down his throat wasn’t in any way helpful. Jean and Armin had luckily found one another four years ago, so Armin didn’t have to face the same struggles as Eren. He’d always hated being an omega, bile rising in the back of his throat when he thought about how some of the alpha’s treated their mates. Even in the free land of Kalonia, there existed behaviors that were long overdue to change. 

Jean was someone whom Eren disliked immediately upon first meeting, mostly because the two of them were similar in personality. Both incredibly hot-headed and stubborn, it made it difficult for them to get along. However, Armin had quickly developed a crush on Jean that after a year of pining, of which Eren had to, unfortunately, listen to, the alpha had grown the balls to ask the omega out. 

It was the one thing Eren could say he respected Jean for. He wasn’t like some of the other alpha’s that roamed the city. Jean viewed Armin as his equal and treated him as though he were the rarest jewel in all the land. It was the _only_ reason why Eren had approved of their relationship. He liked to see his best friend happy, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t complain as often as possible about Armin’s choice in a mate. 

“Hi Reiner, what can I get for you today?” 

“Oh, come on Eren. Not going to ask how my day is going? I thought we were on friendlier terms than that,” Reiner answered as he leaned on his elbows against the counter, throwing Eren a flirty smile. 

Underneath the counter, Eren clenched his fist, but his face remained open and friendly. “Sorry about that, it’s been a bit of a busy day. You know, the first day of the trading season and all.” 

“I’m just teasing you; I enjoy watching the color rise in your cheeks. Such a lovely shade on that tan skin of yours. I’d like to have a double cappuccino please, and maybe a date this weekend?”

Eren picked up a twelve-ounce cup, messy handwriting scrawling _cap_ on the white surface before placing it on the bar behind him. 

“One double-shot cap coming up. That will be three kalons, please. And I am sorry, but I won’t be able to do anything this weekend. Everyone comes from outside the city on the weekends during trading season and mom and dad won’t be able to help out, so I have to man the shop.” 

He noted the disappointed look on Reiner’s face as he dropped three thumb-sized silver coins into Eren’s palm. It wasn’t the first time Eren had turned him down, and it surely wouldn’t be the last, but it seemed as though Reiner wasn’t going to acquiesce like he normally did. Rather than drop the thin blue Kalonian twenty into the tip jar as per usual, he tilted his head and regarded Eren curiously. 

Oh, great...alphas finally had enough of omega’s evasiveness. 

However, before another word could leave Reiner’s mouth, something shifted in the air that caused everyone in the shop to stop what they were doing. It was a feeling that Eren had only felt a few times throughout his life, one that told him danger was nearby. A foreign scent filled his nostrils, smelling of pine and soil after a thunderstorm. They didn’t have any pine trees in Kalonia, it was a scent that came from a faraway land, one that all Wytaie steered clear of.

“Dalgars...what are they doing here?” Reiner growled, teeth elongating as his inner fox clawed through to lend him the extra skills needed to protect himself.

Eren hadn’t had a Dalgar come into his shop in many, many years. They lived in the land of Euonite, about a month’s journey away even if one was lucky enough to afford the fastest of horses. The Dalgar and Wytaie had been sworn enemies centuries ago, fighting to the death over territory to the point where the Dalgar had nearly wiped the Wytaie from existence. 

The Dalgar were descended from the great wolf spirits, far stronger and faster than the Wytaie and much more numerous. It had been an unfair battle from the start and the only reason the Wytaie had managed to win was because of Ymir Fritz, a young omega much like Eren who had been gifted the powers of the kitsune spirits who once roamed the land. 

Kalonia, where the Wytaie resided, was now known as the freest land. They did not have anyone who ruled over them, rather, they elected a group of twenty council members every five years who would choose punishments for those who broke the law. Kalonia, especially the capital city of Verondyse, was an extremely peaceful land. The worst that happened was occasional petty theft, and that was normally done by teens for some stupid dare. 

Eunoite, on the other hand, was much more violent. The capital city of Tantar was nicknamed the Midnight City, for it was said to always be descended in darkness. Eren had heard many horror stories from those who had traveled there, and it had been enough for him to know he never wanted to see the place. 

Although the Wytaie and Dalgar no longer fought after the Dalgar’s blowing defeat, they to this day avoided one another at all costs. Well, it was more like the Wytaie avoided the Dalgar, and it wasn’t hard to blame them. The Dalgar still outnumbered them and if they decided to wage war, it would mean devastation beyond belief. Even worse, for Eren, it would force him to reveal his secret as he would be the key to their salvation. 

Eren swallowed thickly, pushing down the desire to shift and telling his inner fox that everything was okay. The entire shop remained silent as four people entered the shop, the scent becoming nearly unbearable. There was something else, though. Something strange. A scent that Eren hadn’t ever detected in his entire eighteen years of life. It was...oddly calming. Reminding him of the air high up in the mountaintops, the hidden meadows far beyond civilization. He furrowed his brow in confusion, his mind fighting between feeling at ease and wanting to run away. 

Reiner stepped away from the counter and it was only when the four men were standing in front of him that Eren realized one of them was fairly short. He took a deep breath, green eyes taking in their forms. If the scent of pine wasn’t enough to detect a Dalgar, their glowing eyes were the next tell. All Dalgar, no matter their eye color, had a bright glow that emanated from their irises. The short one had silver eyes, and if it weren’t for the fact that Eren hated all Dalgar’s, he might have even thought of them as beautiful. 

“Welcome to Lyron, how may I help you?” Eren asked through clenched teeth, trying to remain as friendly as possible despite both his inner fox and omega telling him he needed to get the fuck out of there. 

“Medium earl grey tea. Black. Two large drip coffees. Black as well. And then a large, iced caramel latte.”

Eren wrote on each cup, annoyed at the fact that his hands were shaking, the handwriting even messier than his usual scrawl. “That will be fifteen kalons, please.” 

The man went to hand Eren a twenty, however, he had made the mistake of brushing his hand against Eren’s which caused the omega to let out a growl as he immediately pulled his hand back. 

A thin black eyebrow rose in mild amusement as he regarded Eren calmly, “I thought you Wytaie were known for being friendly.” 

Eren snatched the bill from the counter, quickly counting out the man's change and shoving it into his hand before turning his back to help Armin with the drinks. Jean, that stupid motherfucker, was hiding away in the back. So much for being a protective alpha or whatever dumb shit he normally spouted. 

With two people manning the bar, it didn’t take long for the drinks to be finished. Eren worked as fast as he could, knowing that the sooner the Dalgar left the shop the better it would be for everyone. With the trading season, it should be expected that a few of them might roam throughout the city, but Dalgar rarely ever visited establishments like this. 

“Hey kid,” the silver-eyed man called out to him before he could turn tail and run to the back.

“I am not a kid.”

“Where might one find long term lodging around here?” 

Long term.

He just said _long term._

What the actual fuck. There was no way that four Dalgar were going to be staying in the city of Verondyse for more than a few nights. It was unheard of. 

Eren blinked, looked towards Armin, then blinked again. He was not about to help out one Dalgar, let alone four. Another thing his parents had taught him never to do was to lie, however, in this case, he figured they would approve. 

“I am not sure. Most people traveling from outside of the city only stay for a few nights, maybe a week at most. How long were you thinking?” 

Please don’t say longer than a few weeks. Please don’t say longer than a few weeks. Please. 

“We aren’t sure. Could be a couple of weeks, a month, a few months. Surely, the great free trade city has somewhere we can stay.”

Something about the way this man talked and held himself, the pure sense of entitlement that emanated from him, was beginning to irk Eren. He found himself growing bolder, the cunningness of his fox ready to fight against the wolf. 

“Nope. Sorry. I’m trying tremendously hard right now to think of a place and it's just not coming to me. I’d try asking elsewhere. As you said, us Wytaie are known for our friendliness. I am sure there is someone out there willing to help. Have a good day.” 

The man gave Eren a cold look, eyes seeming to glow impossibly brighter and scent becoming heavier, though that peculiar sweetness still lingered underneath. It was as though he wanted to say something more, however, one of the taller blond men spoke quietly and interrupted whatever train of thought he may have had.

“Come, Levi. We are making them all uncomfortable. They aren’t used to us; you cannot blame them. Let us ask around, we have money and that is more than enough for someone to take us in.” 

The man, who Eren now knew as Levi, gave him one last scathing look before following the three others outside. As soon as they were gone, it was as though a collective sigh of relief ran through every person inside the café. 

“Eren!” Armin chastised, lightly punching him in the arm, “do you have a death wish?!” 

Eren rubbed his arm in mock pain, giving his friend the side-eye, “it’s not my fault he was being an asshole! Didn’t you hear it in his voice? The Dalgar’s are always like that. Acting high and mighty, as though they are better than us simply because they are born naturally stronger. If it weren’t for some unspoken treaty, they would probably have tried to kill us all again by now.” 

Armin sighed, “look. I know that, because of our instincts, we are automatically wired to dislike them. However, they can’t _all_ be horrible. You heard the way the tall muscly blond one spoke, he seemed nice.” 

“Nice until he decides he wants to rip your head off and eat you for dinner. Come on, let’s liven this place up or we won’t convince another customer to set foot in here the rest of the day.” 

Ͻ

That night, Eren found himself in a faraway city dressed in darkness. He was surrounded by buildings nearly as tall as the faraway mountains in Kalonia, stretching towards the sky, their twinkling lights filling the darkness with wonder. It was as though someone had grabbed a handful of stars and brought them down to land, allowing for mortals to touch what only gods had before them. 

There were thousands of noises that Eren had never heard. Music that trickled through the alleyways and made him want to dance until he could no longer stand. Scents that overwhelmed him and made his stomach either growl with want or recoil in fear of the unknown. Hundreds of blurry faces walked around him, the only noticeable feature their glowing eyes, reminding him of the light bugs that showed during Kalonian summers. 

And then, there was something sinister brewing underneath the surface. A fear unlike any other that he had ever known was crawling up his spine and to his throat, making him want to scream and hide away forever. Eren felt trapped, the darkness closing in on him. He was going to be swallowed whole, never to be seen or heard from again. 

“Hello?”

A voice. Familiar and yet foreign at the same time.

“Who are you?” 

A scent of sweetness. 

“Tell me your name.”

Silver. 

“Wait, come back!”

Eren woke with a start, heart pounding and body sweating profusely. He pushed long wet chocolate strands away from his face as he breathed deeply and willed his heart to calm down. He’d always had vivid dreams ever since he was a child, but none of them had ever been quite that realistic. He could have sworn he could still taste the foreign foods on his tongue and feel the cool breeze, something that he’d never experienced before as Kalonia didn’t have winters. 

If anything, the fear he’d felt had surely been real. And then there was the voice. Whoever it was seemed to have recognized him, as though Eren had been running from him and he was finally catching up. 

Eren shook his head, grimacing as he decided to change his bedsheets and shower before attempting to sleep again. It was probably just his interaction with the Dalgar that was setting his inner fox on edge. With him having the ability to shift and retaining the memories of his ancestors, being around the Dalgar always had more of an effect on him than others. One that he sadly could never explain to his friends as his parents forbid him from ever telling his secret. 

Everything would be fine. He just needed to avoid the Dalgar, that was all. Simple and easy, he could do this. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dear friends, I am finally back from an unexpected and unofficial hiatus. There was some stuff that happened in my personal life, and I found myself needing to take a step back from fandom to attend to my mental and physical health. I am finally on the mend and have given myself time to start working on this story that I have been dreaming up for months.
> 
> As always, my writing is heavily influenced by music. For this fic, it is inspired in a large part by my all-time favorite album. I honestly wasn't sure once I finished TOIP if I would write another multichapter story for this fandom, especially another one that I know is going to be long and intense. But I decided to give it a go, and I hope you will all enjoy what I have in store for you.
> 
> As always, thank you for your constant support and kind words. I hope that you are all staying safe and healthy out there. Please remember to always put yourself first, take care of your mental health, and love yourself even when others make you feel as though you aren't worth it. I promise you that you are. You matter. You are loved. 
> 
> Hugs,  
> Flame


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